Louvered awnings



June 1958 D. H; RUGGLES 2,839,795

LOUVERED AWNINGS Filed July 30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 32 44; 43 r 23 l ILIHI/ I [UL I 2O l 22 B INVENTOR- Donold H. Ruggles ATTORNEY) June 24, 1958 D. H. RUGGLES LOUVERED AWNINGS,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1956 R m E v m Donald H. Ruggles "M wfiw I ATTORNE Lus r 2,839,795 Patented June 2 4, 1958 U it ates; Pa

7 2,839,795 LOUVERED AWNINGS. 7 Donald H. Ruggles, Tulsa, Okla, assignor to Ventaire Company, Tulsa, Okla., a firm composed of Donald H Ruggles and John A. Tatroe z 7 Application July so, 1956, Serial No'. 600,926 e 4 Claims. c1. 20-575 This invention relates to awnings and more particularly rigid but removable louvers or -covering sections, free of odd or unusualprojections extending outwardly from to those in which the covering is of rigid material in the Another important object is to provide an awning in which .the louvers under-tension, are sprung into hooked or latched positions (not threaded or slid longitudinally into position) with respect to cooperating supportv members or spacers in such manner that.they will be retained against dislodgment by wind blowing against their lower or.upper surfaces or over them. Gales andv thelike;

causing an .upsurge' of air against thelower surfaces of removable louvers of awnings, which louversare' sprung andv hooked into position, very frequently dislodge the I louvers although they may be hooked against dislodgment from winds blowing across them or upon their upper surfaces.

-Additionally,' an important object is to provide an 'awn ing, as described in the preceding paragraph, in which the louvers or covering sectionsjare so hooked or latched in position that upward surges of wind upon their undersides will tend'to .more firmly hook or latch them into position, rather than the contrary.

Another impo'rtant'object is to provide an awning inf which-the louvers or covering sections, being sprung and hooked or latched into position, will be firmly held against vibration, due to wind and the like. Such vibrations are frequently encountered where louvers or covering sections are slid longitudinally into position along slots 'in support members. r

A further important object is to provide an awning in which the major louvers or covering sections thereof are attached without the'use of screws,. bolts, welding and the like. b b

Still another important object is to provide a louvered awning in which the uppermost covering section is firmly secured at its upper edge in position although it does nothave the advantage of the other louvers or covering sections in their hookedor' latched connections with the cooperating support members or spacers;

An additional important object is to provide awnings of both the so-called fclosed type and open type, both employing support members or spacers with specially provided forwardly openingjmajor and downwardly-opening minor recesses for flanged longitudinallyextended portions of the louvers or covering sections, whereby the louvers are securely latched against displacement.

Furthermore, an important object is to provide an awning having a curved-eifect lower end portion which not only provides ,a pleasing appearance to the awning but materially strengthens the structure.

Another important object is'to provide an awning of- 7 of the awning, suchas when the awning is of a large width or normally positioned with a slant exceeding sixty inches (as on porchor patioawnings, for example). 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed I description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming portions of the application and in which drawings: e V

., Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof one form of the awning of this invention made up of two minor awning forms:

with parts broken away to illustrate portions of the structure beneath. a Q

, Fig.2 is a fragmentaryvertical section of theupper portionpf one of the minor awning forms of Fig. 1,

slightly modified and illustrating one embodiment of the. arrangement of portion; i

Fig. 3 is. a fragmentary .vertical' section of the "upper.

portion of one of the minor awning' forms of Fig. 1, slightly modified and illustrating another embodiment of the arrangement 'ofthe'extreme upper end of this por-- tion and also. illustrating the method of latching or hooking a coveringsection' in place; I 1

. Fig. .4 is a fragmentary vertical section at the extreme lower portion of the. awning of Fig- 1 including minor lowersupport members. I I 3 J Fig. Sis a fragmentary perspective view of the arrangement. of parts for securing the" minor support members for the extreme lower portion of the awning of Fig. .4 tov the major support members.

,. Fig. 6 is afragmentary plan of an arrangement fo providing the vmiddlelower minor support member of Flg.4."- I "Fig; 7 is a perspective-view of another form of the.

illustrate the structure beneath.

Fig.1 8 is a vertical section of the awning of Fig. 7 including illustration of the method of hooking or latching the louvers in position. e Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation ofone form of brace means for the awning. '7 Fig. 10 isa vertical-section of the brace means, substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9 but showing the brace means secured to a support member (in vertical section). i 5 a I Fig.'11 is a fragmentary elevation of another form of brace means.

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the brace means of Fig. 11, substantially onthe line 1212 of Fig. 11 and illustrating the brace means attached to a support member shown in verticalsection. b

Fig. 13 is an enlarged longitudinal' section through the joint 'of Fig.6 showing the support members secured together. 1 b i In the drawings, wherein tration are shown 'several forms? of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate correspending parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates one form of. the invention, made upjo'f two slightly modified minor awning forms B, and the letter C "illustrates another form thereof.

parts atthe extreme upper end of this.

for the purpose ofrillus- The awning A of Pig. 1 comprises two minor awning forms B slightly modified (and designated B and B to adapt them to provide a wide awning, rather than two narrower awnings.

Each minor awning form -B normally comprises normally forwardly and downwardlyinclined, substantially parallel major support members orspacers '20 and 21, being left-hand and right-hand support members respectively, a plurality of coverin'gsections 2-2, hanging means 23, brace means 25, connecting means 26 and 27, and extension means 28, 29 and 29' comprising minor support members 70 and 71 respectively. V

The major support members or'spacers and 21 are preferably exactly alike except that the first is a left-hand member and the other is a right-hand member with each member being'channelsha pe d with a bottom wall 30, an outermost wall 31' and an innermost'wall 32' substantially parallel with the wall 31 and bothupstanding from the wall' 30. The wall 31 is higher than the wall 32 and is provided with keeper means to detachably retain or latch-a covering section 22 in place upon a support member.

Each wall 31 is stepped at itsupper edge portion substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 whereby a plurality of-equally spaced-apart covering section engaging edges 33 are provided, as well as a plurality of equally spacedapart downwardly and outwardly extending edges 34 which face, but are. spaced from, the overhanging portions of the covering sectionsas clearly shown in Figs. 2- and 3 and provide for ventilation as well as permit springing the covering sections into position, as will be subsequently explained. Below, each edges 34 (except the bottom-most edge 34), there is a major recess 35 and two minor stepped recesses or grooves 36 and 37 adapted to: receive the longitudinally-extending flanges of two sectionsv 22. These. recesses 36 and 37 are downwardly-opening and one wallface of the recess 36 (which is preferably narrower than the recess 37 merges into the, rear wall face of the major recess 35 so that the combined wall faces provide a quite wide face for contact Withthe rear flange 41 of the covering section. The longitudinal axes. of the minor recesses substantially form right; angles with... the. upper wall face of the major recess. This combined construction is found to. be. very important in order .to effect, in part, firm securing or latching of the coveringsection. to the. support-member 20 particularly to prevent vibration of the covering section aswell as; accidental, detachment: of thev section this to air surges from beneath the louyer. It will be noted. that, between the mouth of the major recess. 35 and the ad.-

jacent edge 33, thereis; a broad, substantially V-shaped depression 38. This is provided.- so that the rear portion of the covering section may be insertedtherein, as shown. in; Fig. 3, in; order that; the section may be tipped. and

permit the flange 41 to enter the minor recess 36. The.

keeper means comprises the, structure 33 to 38.

Being channeled: as described, the support members 20 and; 21 are rendered stronger; than wouldbe an L-shaped member or a member constituted of only the outermost wall 31, and the innermost wall 32 is low enoughso that its upper edge 39 is near the louvers 22 as may be seen in Figs. 2 and. 3. This tends to provide for firm and rigid association of the support members 20 and 21 and the covering sections. Itis suggested that the average spacing apart of the members 20 and 21 be about thirty-- six inches on a wide awning. v a

The support members 20. and 2-1 are. made of rigid material which will not be apt to deteriorate when subjected to the elements and which may be readily cut to suitable lengths, punched and similarly worked upon. For example, the material may be aluminum, steel, hardencd plasticsand the like and may be surfaced, as by the. use of coverings, as paint for example. I prefer to employ aluminum for the material of the; support members, such as 51,000 gauge aluminum, by way of: example.

While the keeper means described above is provided for a closed-type of awning, the covering sections 22- I when in place and which material may be readily cut.

The material may be, for example, any of those suggested, but I prefer toemploy aluminum such as 25,000 gauge aluminum, for example. The section is provided with an elongated body portion 40 and rear and front flanges 41 and 42 respectively. The body portion 40 is J-shaped in transverse section, as may be seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 8, providing a relatively broad flat surface, for contact with the covering section-engaging edges 33 of the supportmembers 20 and 21, and a decidedly bowed part which overhangs and faces the edges 34 of the support members. At the rear part of the body portion 40, i. -e., the upper end'of the flat part, is the rear flange 41 which is upstanding and prefer-ably forms substantially a right angle with the broad flat surface of the body'portion 40. 'This flange '41 is preferably wider than the flange 42 which is at the end of the J-shaped part of the body portion and is also upstanding and substantially parallels the plane of the flange 41. The flange 41 is adapted to fit snugly within the minor recess 36 and also engage the rear wall face of the major recess 35, and the flange 42 is adapted to fit withinthe minor recess 37 but with its. rear face in engagement with a part of the front face of the flange 41to provide, in all, a snug fit.

With the covering sections sprung into position as in Fig. 2. and in engagementwith the keeper means, they cannotbe dislodged, as by surges of air from beneath or above and the good frictional contact with the support members, prevent accidental longitudinal shifting as well.

The hanging means 23,, shownin both Figs.,2 and 3, preferably comprises a length of material, which. is preferably one of those mentioned as examples of the materials constituting the support members and covering. sections. It includes an; elongated flat strip or body portion 45 having a major or relatively wide flange 46 and a minor or relatively narrow flange 47 at its opposite edge portions with theflanges substantially normal to.

the body portion 45. The body portion and flanges may be disposed as in, Fig, 2 or 'as in Fig. 3, depending upon. the slant of the awning since the flange should not contact the adjacent covering section when the awning is raised. That is, when the normal, position of the awning is. a slight slant (as when functioning as a door canopy), the minor flange 47 will be forwardly and the. major flange 46 employed tosecure the awning to a support, Since the awning may then be swung to substantially a horizontal position. On the other hand, with the major flange 46 forwardly as in Fig. 3, the more sloping awning may be raised to substantially a horizontal position. Associated. with the body portion 45 is means for attaching the body portion 45 to a support member 20 or 21. The means may be the conventional twoeared bearing member 48 and pivot pin 49 carried thereby and extending through suitable'pairs of axially aligning openings in the walls 31 and 32.,' The pivot pin 49 may be the shank of a nut and bolt assembly and the bearing member 48 may be secured to the body portion 45 with one ear in a depending relation in any approved way, such as by the nut and bolt assembly 50, with the shank. ofthe bolt extending through suitable aligning openings in the other car and in thebody portion 45.

The connecting means 26 for securing the flange 46 or 47 to a support, as a door or window frame, may be a screw.

Associated with the. means 23 is the topmost covering section holddown. means 24. This preferably comprises a body portion, made up. of a short strip or length of 'r'riaterial preferably like that of the support members and 21 secured at-its lower end portion 55 toa sup-' port'member at the 'upper end of the bottom 'wall 30 thereof, as by nut andbolt assemblies 56, and the extreme upper end portion 57 bent overthe flange 41"of the topmost section 22, substantially as shown "in Fig. 3 to retain the upper portion of this louver in place.

' The brace means 25 may be of any approvedkind. In the example shown in FigsQl and 3, it comprises an arm 60 pivoted at one-end to a conventional two-cared bearing member 61 by a pivot pin (as a shank of a nut and bolt assembly) with the bearing member secured to the adjacent support member 20 or 21 in any approved way, such asby a nut and bolt assembly 63 attached to the bottom wall 30. The opposite end of the arm 60 may be pivotally secured to a conventional two-cared bearing member 64 by a pivot pin 65, and the member 64 secured to a support, as a window or'door frame, by the connecting means 27, which may be a screw. The arm 60 may be'49,000 gauge aluminum, by wayof example.

In order to provide a downwardly-extending forward end portion to an awning, as the awning B, the extension means 28 and 29 may be attached thereto to form a portion thereof. These comprise minor support members 70 and 71, best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which may be short lengths of support members 20 and 21 with their innermost walls 32 removed and their bottom walls 30 notched intermediate their ends by a V-shaped cut 72 in order to bend each'short length to form an obtuse angle.

Also, the lower ends of the support members 20 and 21 39 of a recess 32 so that, when the support members 70 :and 71 are connected to their respective support members .20 and 21 there will be a continuity to the plurality of recesses 35, 36 and 37 as spaced along the walls 31, and the two associated members 20 and 70 and 21 and 71 connected togetherby suitable connecting. means, such as nut and bolt assemblies 73. In order to effect the proper continuity, I prefer to also reduce the height of the rear portion of the outermost wall 74 of the members 70 and 71 to the height of the removed innermost wall for a distance to meet the adjacent rearends of the covering section-engaging edges of the members 70 and 71. Y

As has been stated, the awning A is made up of two modified awnings B with the ends of the covering sections abutting, designated as B and B The only diiferences between an awning B and an awning B? and B resides in the removal of the right-hand support member 21 of one awning B and the left-hand support member 20 of another awning B and employing, in their stead, a support member 75 shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The support member 75 is much like the support members 20 and 21 if the innermost walls 32 of the latter were removed and their bottom walls 30 reduced in width and joined together. There is thus provided two outermost walls 76 and 77 substantially like the wall 31 and bottom wall 78 respectively. The support member 75 is adapted to be disposed beneath the louvers at their abutting ends 43 and 44 as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the covering sections secured in the same way in recesses as are the covering sections of the awning'B. It not only detachably supports the abutting side edge portions of two rows of covering sections but the walls 76, 77 and 78 form a channel for water which may drain from between the abutting side edges.

In order to provide, if desired, the extension means 29' (somewhat like a combination of the extension means 28 and 29) shown in Figs. 4 and 6, for the support member 75, I may employ minor support members 80 and 81 r is which may be one of each of the minor support members members 70 and 71. They'may be attached to the lowerend portion of the support member in any approved way. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, a portion of the bottom wall of the member may be further reduced in width by removing a portion thereof to the upstanding wall to provide a tab 82 and the bottom wall of the member 81 also may be further reduced in width by removing a portion thereof to provide the tab 83 to be positioned next adjacent the tab 82 and with the longitudinal edges of the abbreviated bottom walls 84 and 85 respectively in face-to-face abutment; suitable axially aligning openings in the tabs and the bottom wall 78 may be provided to accommodate portions of the shanks of nut and bolt assemblies 86 in order to secure the minor support members 80 and 81 to the support member 75 together.

In order to brace the support member 75, I prefer to provide, in the event there is no rigid support already available to which one of the brace means 25 may be secured at its lower end, a rigid upright (not shown) such as a pipe or bar to bridge the pane of a large window (as a' show window) and secured at its ends to the window frame or the like.

, Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, the awning C is of the so-called open type and the major difference between it and the socalled closed type resides in the recesses, since the outermost upstanding wall 90 of the left-hand and right-hand major support members or spacers 91 and 92 each have a plurality of keeper means comprising equally spaced-apart major recesses 93, preferably slightly larger than the major recesses 35 and the two minor stepped recesses 94 and 95 opening downwardly to the major recess 93 are preferably spaced apart as shown in Fig. 8. g i

In place of the brace means 25 of the awnings A or B, I may-provide the brace means and, obviously, I may provide the brace means 100 instead of the brace means 25 for the awnings A or B. The brace means 100 comprises an arm 101 rigidly conected at its outermost end portion to the associated left-hand 0r right-hand support member 91 or 92, as by nut and bolt assemblies 102 and rigidly connected at its innermost end portion to a window or door frame or the'like as by screws 103. t I

The louvers or covering sections, substantially like the covering sections 22 are attached to the support members 91 and 92 as is clear in Fig. 8 and extension means 105 and 106 may be provided quite similar to the extension means 28 and 29 except that the means 105 and 106 employ the keeper means represented by the walls of the recesses 93, 94 and 95. The means 105 and 106 may be attached in a way similar to the method employed in attaching the means 28 and 29. v

The topmost louver holddown means 96 is much like the means 24 but additionally functions as means to secure the awning to a support, thus omitting the means 23 of the form B. However, the strip of material forming the means 96 may be substantially like the .strip forming the means 24. The upper end portion 97 of the strip 96 is turned over the rear flange 41 of the uppermost louver as is the upper end portion 57 and a suitable securing means, as the screw 98 is then inserted through the portion 97 and flange 41 and into a suitable support, as a door or window frame.

Two awnings C may be joined together to form a wider awning in the same way as are two of the awnings B, and providing a suitable number of support members.

In addition to the brace means described, I provide brace means adapted to extend longitudinally of the support members. Such longitudinally extending brace means are adapted for use where the awning slant exceeds sixty inches (as on porch or patio awnings, for example).

The longitudinally-extending brace means 110 of Figs. 9 and 1 0 is formed from a suitable length or stripof material, such as that of the support members and/or 7 louvers to provide an inverted major channel formation 111 in transverse section, with outwardly-extending minor channel formations 112 at the lower ends of the major,

channel formation to provide strength. The brace means 110 may be secured to the selected straight support member in any approved way, with the portion 113 of the major channel formation 111 abutting the bottom face of the bottom wall of the support member. In the example shown, nut and bolt assembly means 114 is employed.

The longitudinally-extending brace means 115 of Figs. 1.1 and 12 may be employed as a substitute for the brace means 110. It, too, is formed from a suitable length of material similar to that used for the support members, louvers and means 114} and is, in effect, a small span brace in sheet form and includes a flange 116 at each longitudinal edge. Either, flange may abut the bottom wall of a support member and be secured thereto as by nut and bolt assemblies 117.

In all forms of the support members, there is provided a major recess, opening forwardly, and two stepped, substantially parallel minor recesses, each opening downwardly into the major recess from the upper face thereof. The most forward minor recess is preferably of less depth than the companion minor recess and adapted to snugly receive the front flange 42 of the louver or covering section, while the other minor recess is adapted to snugly receive the end portion of the rear flange 41 of the louver or covering section, with one face of theflange 41 also in face-to-face contact with the recess face of the major recess. Consequently, no louver or covering section can be dislodged by upward pressure upon its under face and cannot be dislodged, due to the contact of louver or covering section with the louver-engaging edges 33 of the support members, by downward pressure upon the upper face of the louver or covering section.

I am aware of awning louvers having longitudinally extending flanges adapted to be inserted into recesses either by sliding the louver longitudinally of support members K or sliding the louver transversely of support members without springing in either case. My awning louvers or covering sections are provided to be sprung transversely so that their flanges will enter recesses and be positively latched or hooked in the recesses, with the louver or covering section under tension. part of the louver or covering section body at the lower end thereof next adjacent the front flange provides for a very decided springing of the louver or covering section and also presents a pleasing appearance to the louver or covering section.

By the term decidedly bowed part I mean a part of the body portion of the louver or covering section forming, with the remainder of the body portion a J in trans verse section. As an example of the length of the bowed portion of the louver or covering section, which is substantially semi-circular in transverse section, it has a ratio to the length of the broad flat surface of the louver or covering section of substantially 1:2.

What is claimed is:

1. An awning including spaced-apart normally downwardly and forwardly inclined substantially parallel elongated support members, each having cut outs providing a plurality of equally spaced-apart forwardly-opening major recesses, two minor recesses opening downwardly from the upper face of each of said major recesses and downwardly and outwardly extending outer edges extending above said major recesses,,and a plurality of awning covering sections of springy material, each having a body portion, a rear flange along the rear longitudinal edge of said body portion and a front flange along the front longitudinal edge of said body portion, said body portion having a decidedly bowed forward part extending outwardly of a front flange and spaced above the downwardly and outwardly extending outer edge of the body portion, with the Iearflange ofone covering section being accommo- The decidedly bowed 8 datedin one major recess and one minor recess opening thereinto, and the front flange of the next adjacent covering section being accommodated in the other minor recess opening to said one major recess, said covering sections being under tension, whereby'said covering sections may be sprung transversely into connection with said support members and upward surges of air upon the under side of said covering section will not dislodge them.

2. An awning including spaced-apartnormally downwardly and forwardly inclined substantially parallel elongated major support members, and substantially parallel minor support members, each extending forwardly and downwardly from the lower ends of'the major support members, each support member having a plurality of equally spaced-apart forwardly-opening major recesses and two recesses opening downwardly from the upper face of each of said major recesses, and a plurality of covering sections of springy material, each having a body portion substantially J-shaped in transverse section, a rear flange along one longitudinal edge and a front flange along the other longitudinal edge and extending from the curved forward part of the body portion, with the rear flange of one covering scction'being accommodated. in one major recess and one minor recess opening-thereinto and the front flange of the next adjacent covering section being accommodated in the other minor recess opening to said one major recess and the forward curved portion of each louver being spaced above the forward portion of its associated support member, said covering sections being under tension, whereby said covering sections may be sprung transversely into connection with said support members and upward surges of air upon the under side of said covering sections will not dislodge them, said minor support members extending outwardly and downwardly from the lower ends of the major support members.

3. An awning including spaced-apart normally downwardly and forwardly inclined substantially parallel support members, each having a plurality of equally spacedapart forwardly-opening major recesses and two recesses opening downwardly from the upper face of each of said major recesses, a plurality of covering sections of springy material, each having a body portion, a rear flange along one longitudinal edge and a front flange along the other longitudinal edge, with the rear flange of one covering section being accommodated in one major recess and one minor recess opening thereinto and the front flange of the next adjacent covering section being accommodated in the other minor recess opening to said one major recess, said covering sections being under tension, whereby said covering sections may be sprung transversely into connection with said support members and upward surges of air upon the underside of said covering sections will not dislodge them, and topmost louver holddown means comprising a body portion having an upper end part in face-to-face contact with the front and rear faces of the uppermost flange of the uppermost covering section and a lower end part, and means securing said lower end part to the upper end parts of the support members.

An awning including spaced-apart normally downwardly and forwardly inclined substantially parallel support members, each having a plurality of equally spacedapart forwardly-opening major recesses and two minor recesses opening downwardly from the upper face of each of said major recesses, a plurality of covering sections of springy material, each having a body portion, a rear flange along one longitudinal edge and a front flange along the other longitudinal edge, with the rear flange of one covering section being accommodated in one major recess and one minor recess opening thereinto and the front flange of the next adjacent covering section being accommodated in the other minor recess opening to said one major recess, said covering sections being under tension, whereby said covering sections may be sprung transversely into connection with said support members and upward surges of air noon the under-side of said covering sections will not dislodge them, topmost covering section holddown means comprising a body portion having an upper end part in face-to-face contact with the front and rear faces of the uppermost flange of the uppermost covering section and a lower end part, and means securing said lower end part to the upper end parts of the support members, and means extending through said upper end part of said body portion of said holddown means and said uppermost flange for securing said awning to a support, as a window UNITED STATES PATENTS Jenkins June 19, 1934 Tobias June 16, 1953 Moser Nov. 3, 1953 Knabeschuh June 7, 1955 Ray Mar. 6, 1956 Ellman May 29, 1956 

